Wi-Fi™, a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance (Austin, Tex.), is a term used to describe only a narrow range of connectivity technologies including wireless local area networks (WLANs) based on the IEEE 802.11 standards, device to device connectivity (such as Wi-Fi Peer to Peer, which is also known as Wi-Fi Direct), and a range of technologies that support PAN, LAN and even WAN connections.
A Wi-Fi™ enabled device such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, digital audio player, smart meter, electric or hybrid electric vehicle (EV) charging station and the like can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet. The coverage of one or more (interconnected) access points—called hotspots—can comprise an area as small as a few rooms or as large as many square miles. Coverage in the larger area may depend on a group of access points with overlapping coverage. Routers that incorporate a digital subscriber line modem or a cable modem and a Wi-Fi™ access point, often set up in homes and other premises, can provide Internet access and internetworking to all devices connected (wirelessly or by cable) to them. Portable Wi-Fi™ routers also allow people to easily create their own Wi-Fi™ hotspots that connect to Internet via cellular networks. Now many mobile phones can also create wireless connections via tethering. Wi-Fi™ also connects places that would traditionally not have network access, for example bathrooms, kitchens and garden sheds.
The increasing demand for energy and the use of finite resources for energy production have led to the use of increased technology for the production, transmission, distribution and consumption of energy in order to make, distribute and use energy more efficiently and wisely. To that end, utility service providers have begun employing information technology systems integrated with their energy production, transmission, distribution and metering systems to enable more efficient monitoring and operation of such systems. Concurrently, vendors and manufacturers have also begun employing similar technology in products and devices that consume electricity, such as appliances (e.g., refrigerators, washing machines and dryers, dishwashers, HVAC systems, lighting systems, stoves, water heaters, etc.) and electronics (e.g., televisions, stereos, computers, etc.). These efforts are often broadly categorized as smart grid, smart meter and smart appliance technologies.
The smart grid marries information technology with the current electrical infrastructure. The smart grid is, in essence, an “energy Internet,” delivering real-time energy information and knowledge—empowering smarter energy choices. Roles for the smart grid include enabling the integration and optimization of more renewable energy (such as wind and solar); driving significant increases in the efficiency of the electrical network; and, empowering consumers to manage their energy usage and save money without compromising their lifestyle.
Smart grid technologies provide utilities and consumers with real-time knowledge and decision-making tools that empower them to save energy, resources, money, and the environment. The smart grid is not a singular product, but rather a collection of hardware and software that works together to make today's electrical grid more intelligent. Similar to how the Internet turned a disaggregated collection of computers into a more powerful tool, overlaying the current power infrastructure with smart grid technology is like connecting the Internet to the computer, making an already useful machine much better and providing people with information to make intelligent decisions. Similarly, the smart grid, or the “energy Internet,” empowers consumers, businesses and utilities to make smarter energy choices.
Smart grid components include automation software and intelligent electronic hardware systems that control the transmission and distribution grids. Smart grid automation technologies—such as energy management systems and distribution management systems—help provide real-time knowledge and control over the distribution and transmission grids. On the transmission side, Energy Management Systems (EMS) provide real-time information on the grid's status, helping utilities automate various grid functionalities remotely. This automation technology helps utilities choose the best, most affordable generation mix (known as economic dispatch), keeping costs lower for consumers and businesses; reduce losses and waste in the delivery of power to drive a more efficient system; and maintain system reliability to help ensure a steady supply of power to customers. A Distribution Management System (DMS) comprises the smart grid automation technology that provides utilities with real-time information about the distribution network and allows utilities to remotely control switches in the grid. The DMS is the heart of a smarter distribution grid, enabling utilities to manage distributed renewable generation, support grid efficiency technologies, and control the isolation and restoration of outages. Without DMS, the utility gets very little real-time information about the distribution grid and can't realize many of the benefits of a smarter grid.
Furthermore, smart grid technologies can extend beyond the electrical grid. With smart grid technologies in the home—like smart meters, smart energy panels, and smart appliances—consumers can have access to more accurate data and knowledge about electricity pricing, helping them save money and lower their environmental footprint.
Currently, most power companies offer one set price for electricity throughout the day, regardless of how expensive it is to produce. Most consumers don't know that it costs much more to produce energy during the peak hours of the day—typically between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.—than it does at any other time. A smart meter can communicate time of use pricing via smart home energy panels or other display devices to help consumers make smarter energy choices throughout the day. Consumers will be more likely to use high-consuming devices during off-peak pricing periods, when electricity prices are cheaper. With smart meters, buying electricity is like buying other consumer goods—with price impacting a purchase decision. For example, a consumer can choose to have his or her house pre-cooled before arriving home to ensure the air conditioning system can remain off during expensive peak pricing hours, without impacting the consumer's comfort level. A consumer can also have his or her water pre-heated to avoid peak prices and lower his or her energy bill. A year-long study by the U.S. Department of Energy showed that real-time pricing information provided by the smart meter helped consumers reduce their electricity costs 10% on average and their peak consumption by 15%.
Smart meters can also enable consumers to pre-pay their electricity bills and help utilities better detect and manage outages. Smart meters coupled with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) helps pinpoint problems on the grid, allowing utilities to determine exactly which customers are without power. Compare this to today, when many utilities still wait for customer calls to notify them of outages.
Smart appliances can work in concert with smart meters and the smart grid to avoid peak-hour energy use and top-tier pricing without any negative impact on the consumer by adapting to price signals from the utility. For example, a dryer may automatically switch from high heat to “fluff” if electricity hits a certain per-kilowatt-hour rate—even if the homeowner is at work. Or, the automatic defrost on a refrigerator can delay itself until a time of reduced electricity rates. If the freezer delays the defrost cycle until after peak energy hours, consumers pay less for the same amount of energy. There are countless ways to conserve energy and save money when smart appliances are coupled with smart meters and time-of-use pricing information including, for example, updating software or firmware of smart appliances using the smart grid and smart meter infrastructure. The smart grid, smart meter and smart appliance technologies enable utilities to communicate (duplex) with smart appliances in the home. This ability creates opportunities beyond that of energy management.
Currently, many different communication standards are competing for connectivity from the meter to the homeowner's appliances. Wi-Fi™ is one viable solution. A Wi-Fi™ enabled meter has the challenge of configuring the meter to join an existing, secure access point in the home. Furthermore, in some instances electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are Wi-Fi™ enabled. However, a Wi-Fi™ meter or charging station, as with any Wi-Fi™ enabled device, is required to be configured to join a network. Typically, the proper service set identifier (SSID) number must be selected when more than one access point is present. Also, a password is required to join a protected network. Once on the network, the IP address of the device must be known if the homeowner wishes to use his or her computer to communicate with the device.
Generally, configuring a Wi-Fi™ enabled device involves a user entering network information directly into the device through buttons and a display, or the device to be configured is connected to a computer through a serial or USB cable, and then the information is sent to the device from the computer. Once on the network, either a display on the device would show the IP address, or a custom program to locate the device would use special messages. However, these methods are generally not possible for some devices such as a Wi-Fi™ enabled meter or electric vehicle (EV) charging device as such devices may lack the input/output interface required for configuration. Further, the Wi-Fi™ enabled device may not have the ability to connect with a computer through a cable, or if it does then a homeowner may not be allowed access to perform the connection.
Therefore, what is desired is a method and system that overcomes challenges in the art, some of which are described above, to configure a Wi-Fi™ enabled device over an AMI.